Introduction
The reserve of Ba Bao Shan is located approximately 100 Km north west of Shaoguan in northern Guangdong, Southern China. It consists basically of a mountainous area with forested slopes. The tree line extends to approximately 1800m with the largest peak rising to approximately 2000m. The majority of the forest is recent growth however there are a few small areas of prime forest remaining
There are three main birding areas
The road leading from the entrance gate to the top of the Shi Ken Kong mountain. The best area being the higher section from the park HQ past the top gate to the summit area
The Ridge Area - a path from the park HQ wind sup steeply to a ridge that contains some primary forest.
Shi Ken Wei - this area consists of a small valley through which a road runs and contains the largest stand of primary forest
Logistics
Shaoguan is approximately 300km north of Hong Kong and is easily accessible by train. The reserve is about a two hour drive from the town and accommodation is available at the reserve headquarters. The standard of accommodation was reasonable by Chinese standards and food was included
As Richard had made a number of trips here before he made all the arrangements that included the accommodation, transport to and from the station and transport within the park. We stayed at the park HQ which was halfway up the mountain in a good birding area.
Itinerary
Friday 8th June
We departed Hong Kong on the 15.00 Hong Kong to Beijing train arriving at Shaoguan just after 21.00. We were meet at the station and taken by road to the reserve.
Saturday 9th June
Up at first light and headed across the river from the HQ and up a steep trail towards the ridge area rising to 1400m Birded the main ridge area until 13.00 before returning to the HQ. Had a quick lunch and then arranged for the transport to take us to Shi Ken Wei. Although it was mid afternoon the birds were fairly active and brief views were had of
Silver Oriole. We then decided to spend the last few hours of light in the summit area.
Sunday 10th June
Up at first light Richard decided he wanted to try the ridge trail again the rest of us spent the first hour birding the area immediately around the Headquarters and we very soon found a singing
Brown Chested Jungle Flycatcher and a party of
Grey Laughing Thrushes before heading to Shi Ken Wei. Again only poor views of the Orioles were had and we eventually gave up and decided to spend the rest of the morning around the top gate area.
Returned to the Headquarters and left the park at 16.00 and returned to Shaoguan where we caught the train back to Guangzhou and then a Taxi to Schenzhen in the hope of reaching the boarder before it closed. However we were too late and had to spend the night in Schenzhen
Monday 11 June
Woke early and crossed the boarder back into Hong Kong
Systematic List
Black Baza (
Aviceda leuphotes)
3 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
Crested Serpent Eagle (
Spilornis cheela)
1 ridge trail 9 June
Besra (
Accipiter virgatus)
1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Chinese Bamboo Partridge (
Bambusicola thoracica)
1 Ridge Trail 10 June
Silver Pheasant (
Lophura nycthemera)
1 male, 1 female top gate 10 June
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (
Clamator coromandus)
1 heard 1 seen ridge trail 10 June
Large Hawk Cuckoo (
Hierococcyx sparverioides)
2 ridge trail 9 June
2 heard, 1 seen ridge trail, 1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Oriental Cuckoo (
Cuculus saturatus)
1 heard summit 9 June
1 heard ridge trail and 1 heard top gate 10 June
Asian Lesser Cuckoo (
Cuculus poliocephalus)
1 heard 1 seen ridge trail 9 June
2 heard Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Drongo Cuckoo (
Surniculus lugubris)
3 heard ridge trail 9 June
2 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Collared Owlet (
Glaucidium brodiei)
2 heard ridge trail, 1 heard summit 9 June
1 heard ridge trail 10 June
Grey Nightjar (
Caprimulgus indicus)
1 over the headquarters 9 June
1 heard headquarters 10 June
Pacific Swift (
Apus pacificus)
30 summit 9 June
5 ridge trail 10 June
Common Kingfisher (
Alcedo atthis)
1 on route out of the reserve 10 June
Dollarbird (
Eurystomus orientalis)
6 ridge trail, 3 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
6 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Great Barbet (
Megalaima virens)
A total of 6 heard in all locations 9 June
3 heard Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Black-browed Barbet (
Megalaima (oorti) faber)
A total of 20 heard and two seen at the ridge trail and Shi Ken Wei 9 June
10 heard ridge trail and 3 seen Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Great Spotted Woodpecker (
Picoides major)
1 heard ridge trail and summit 9 June
1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Bay Woodpecker (
Blythipictus pyrrhotis)
1 heard ridge trail, 2 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
1 heard ridge trail and Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike (
Coracina melaschista)
1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Grey-chinned Minivet (
Pericrocotus solaris)
2 ridge trail, 7 top gate 10 June
Scarlet Minivet (
Pericrocotus flammeus)
2 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
Mountain Bulbul (
Hypsipetes mcclellandii)
5 ridge trail summit area 9 June
2 ridge trail, 10 Shi Ken Wei and 3 top gate 10 June
Chestnut Bulbul (
Hypsipetes castanonotus)
A total of 50 seen both days at all locations
Black Bulbul (
Hypsipetes leucocephalus)
6 ridge trail, 10 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
10 ridge trail, 15 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Orange-bellied Leafbird (
Chloropsis hardwickii)
2 top gate 10 June
Brown Dipper (
Cinclus pallasii)
A total of 8 on the river 24th February and 4 25th February
Red-flanked Bluetail (
Tarsiger cyanurus)
A total of 5 24th February and 3 25th February
Daurian Redstart (
Phoenicurus auroreus)
4 HQ fields 24th February, 2 museum trail 25th February
Plumbeous Redstart (
Phoenicurus fuliginosus)
4 headquarters June 9 and 10
White-tailed Robin (
Cinclidium leucurum)
2 heard ridge trail, 2 heard summit 9 June
2 heard ridge trail, 1 seen top gate 10 June
Chestnut-belied Rock Thrush (
Monticola rufiventris)
1 summit 9 June
Violet Whistling Thrush (
Myiophoneus caeruleus)
A total of 5 9 June and 2 10 June
Spotted Forktail (
Enicurus maculatus)
1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Slaty-backed Forktail (
Enicurus schistaceus)
1 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
1 headquarters, 1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler (
Cettia fortipes)
15 heard summit area 9 June
15 heard top gate 10 June
Brown Bush Warbler (
Bradypterus luteoventris)
1 summit 9 June
Mountain Tailorbird (
Orthotomus cucullatus)
1 summit 9 June
Bianchi's Warbler (
Seicercus valentinii)
A total of 25 in the summit area 9 June
2 top gate 10 June
Grey-crowned Warbler (
Seicercus tephrocephalus)
2 summit area 9 June
Chestnut-crowned Warbler (
Seicercus castaniceps)
3 top gate 10 June
White-tailed Warbler (
Phylloscopus davisoni)
1 top gate 10 June
Goodsoni Warbler (
Phylloscopus goodsoni)
2 top gate 10 June
Emei Leaf Warbler (
Phylloscopus emeiensis)
1 seen 2 Heard top gate 10 June
Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher (
Rhinomyias brunneata)
2 heard Headquarters 9 June
2 seen Headquarters 10 June
Small Niltava (
Niltava macgregoriae)
1 heard ridge trail 9 June
Pale Blue Flycatcher (
Cyornis unicolor)
1 ridge trail 9 June
4 ridge trail 10 June
Verditer Flycatcher (
Eumyias thalassina)
2 summit area 9 June
Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler (
Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis)
A total of 13 heard 9 June
3 heard ridge trail 10 June
Pygmy Wren Babbler (
Pnoepyga pusilla)
1 heard ridge trail, 6 heard summit area 9 June
Rufous-capped Babbler (
Stachyris ruficeps)
3 heard ridge trail 9 June
1 heard ridge trail 10 June
Golden Parrotbill (
Paradoxornis verreauxi)
15 summit area 9 June
Greater Necklaced Laughing Thrush (
Garrulax pectoralis)
20 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
Grey Laughing Thrush (
Garrulax maesi)
10 headquarters 9 June
Rusty Laughing Thrush (
Garrulax poecilorhynchus)
2 ridge trail 9 June
2 ridge trail 10 June
Red-billed Leiothrix (
Leiothrix lutea)
12 ridge trail, 12 summit area 9 June,
12 ridge trail, 3 top gate 10 June
White-browed Shrike Babbler (
Pteruthius flaviscapis)
4 ridge trail, 4 summit area 9 June
Brown-capped Fulvetta (
Alicippe brunnea)
1 ridge trail 9 June
2 ridge trail 10 June
Grey-cheeked Fulvetta (
Alcippe morrisonia)
15 ridge trail 9 June
4 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Striated Yuhina (
Yuhina castaniceps)
Up to 50 seen both days
Varied Tit (
Parus varius)
3 ridge trail 10 June
Great Tit (
Parus major)
6 ridge trail, 2 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
Yellow-cheeked Tit (
Parus spilonoyus)
3 ridge trail 9 June
1 top gate 10 June
Silver Oriole (
Oriolus mellianus)
4 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
2 heard Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Bronzed Drongo (
Dicrurus aeneus)
2 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
5 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
Blue Magpie (
Urocissa erythrorhyncha)
1 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
Grey Treepie (
Dendrocissa formosae)
6 ridge trail, 12 Shi Ken Wei 9 June
2 ridge trail, 1 Shi Ken Wei 10 June
G Talbot
Hong Kong
E-mail
gtalbot@netvigator.com
